Defense Sparks Lake Howell

High Schools

An opportunistic Lake Howell defense took advantage of seven miscues by Winter Springs on Thursday night as the host Silver Hawks upended the Bears 28-12 in a Class 5A, District 4 football matchup.

Lake Howell ( 2-2, 2-5) made the most of its chances against Winter Springs (2-4, 0-3), cashing in on two Bears errors and turning them into touchdowns, putting the game away in the second half.

Eric Rouse returned a fumble 42 yards to put the Silver Hawks up 21-6 midway through the third quarter. Donald Sams followed with a 25-yard interception return late in that same quarter, giving Lake Howell a 28-6 edge. The Silver Hawks weren't challenged seriously after that.

"Our defense played a whale of a ballgame,'' Lake Howell Coach Mike Bisceglia said. "Our defense turned out to be our best offense.

"We wanted this game because Winter Springs had beaten us the last two times we played. They are a big rival for us because we [Lake Howell] was housed at Winter Springs while our school was being rebuilt. It's made us into big rivals.''